Sting to Celebrate 70th Birthday with Concert in Athens’ Ancient Theater

British rock star Sting will celebrate his 70th birthday in Greece by giving two concerts on September 30 and October 1 at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus on the slopes of the Athens Acropolis.

The “My Songs Tour”, which took Sting to several cities around the world, is in support of his thirteenth solo studio album My Songs, released on May 24, 2019.

It features new renditions of previously released songs from his illustrious four-and-a-half decade career, including  fan favorites “Desert Rose,” “Fields of Gold,” “Englishman in New York” and The Police mega-hits “Roxanne,” “Message in a Bottle” and “Every Breath You Take.”

His sold-out concerts at the Odeon were highlight events during the Athens and Epidaurus Festival in late summer 2018. This time, the multi-award winning artist, who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003, will be accompanied by his musician son, Joe Summer, frontman of the rock band Fiction Plane.

Alongside his son, Sting will be accompanied by an electric, rock ensemble including Dominic Miller (guitar), Josh Freese (drums), Rufus Miller (guitar), Kevon Webster (keyboard), Shane Sager (harmonica) with Melissa Musique and Gene Noble (backing vocals).

Sting, born Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner, was the principal songwriter, lead singer, and bassist for new wave rock band the Police from 1977 to 1984. He launched a solo career in 1985, and has included elements of rock, jazz, reggae, classical, new-age, and worldbeat in his music.

With the Police, Sting became one of the world’s best-selling musical artists. Solo and with the Police combined, he has sold over 100 million records.

Sting performed at Athens’ Odeon of Herodes Atticus in 2018

Sting gave two sold-out concerts at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus in 2018, as part of the annual Athens and Epidaurus Festival.

Famous for legendary operatic and ancient tragedy performances, the Odeon of Herodes Atticus is an ancient venue more than 1,800 years old which lies beneath the Acropolis.

The theater is also famous for its wondrous acoustics, considering the time it was built.

The audience stands and the stage were restored using Pentelic marble in the 1950s. Since then it has been the main venue of the Athens Festival, which runs from May through October each year, featuring a variety of acclaimed Greek as well as International performances.

So far, only a handful of rock artists have performed there, such as Jethro Tull, Eric Clapton, Solomon Burke, Elvis Costello and a few others. The Foo Fighters were the last rock band that performed in the ancient venue in the summer of 2017.

Last week, renowned Italian actress and beauty Monica Bellucci portrayed the iconic Greek soprano Maria Callas at the ancient theater.

She performed a monologue which is based on unpublished letters of the great soprano entitled “Maria Callas: Letters and Memories.” It is directed by Tom Volf and based on his book and film “Maria by Callas.”